PERSONAL INJURY

New Jersey Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

motorcycle on the road after an accident

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in New Jersey that was not your fault, you need an aggressive advocate in your corner as you pursue compensation for your losses. The law firm of Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman is ready to help you demand justice, just as we have helped thousands of clients since our founding in 1929.

Our experienced attorneys know how devastating a motorcycle collision can be for your health and livelihood. We are ready to fight to get you the money you deserve for all the losses you have suffered.

Contact Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman today to speak with a New Jersey motorcycle accident lawyer in a free claim review that comes with no further obligations on your part.

Our Attorneys Help Injured Motorcyclists in New Jersey

The attorneys at Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman are widely regarded for their honesty, effective advocacy, and resourceful representation. Over nearly a century of practice, we have earned the respect of judges, court officials, and the legal profession overall.

More importantly, we have earned the respect of our clients through hard work, compassionate client service, and results. We devote extensive resources to every case because we care deeply about our clients. Indeed, four out of five clients find us through recommendations from family, friends, colleagues, or other lawyers, or have retained us in the past for other legal matters.

We have won hundreds of millions of dollars in successful judgments and settlements for our clients. We are prepared to use all of our legal know how and resources in pursuit of the compensation you need and deserve.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

motorcycle driver on the open road

At Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman, we do not charge you any fees upfront to start work on your personal injury case. We will review your case for free, with no obligation to you. If we believe you have a claim for compensation, we will do all the legal legwork with no out-of-pocket cost to you. When we recover compensation for you, our fee then comes as a percentage of that. If we don’t win, you don’t pay us. It’s that simple.

Reasons Why Motorcycle Crash Cases Are More Complicated

Every motorcyclist understands that operating a motorcycle is more challenging than driving a car. Perhaps unsurprisingly, motorcycle accident cases are also more complicated than the average car accident case.

First, motorcycle crashes usually involve more severe injuries. That is because a motorcycle offers far less protection in an accident than a passenger vehicle. While a car driver is protected by their vehicle’s frame, as well as safety features like seatbelts and airbags, a motorcyclist has only the clothes and safety equipment they are wearing.

Second, determining the exact cause of the accident can be especially difficult. Insurance companies frequently attempt to shift the blame by using pervasive but false stereotypes of motorcyclists as particularly reckless and, therefore, more likely to be at fault for an accident.

You should contact our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys as soon as possible after an accident. An attorney with our firm can evaluate your legal options and help you determine the best possible avenue for seeking maximum compensation.

From our clients

I would recommend Richard Isolde to my family and friends, and he was accommodating in handling our case. He was always available by text, phone calls, and email. Most significantly, he helped us get what we deserved. Richard Isolde is always there for his clients and does whatever he can to get the job done.

FD

Richard Isolde worked very hard on my case, making the impossible possible.
He was able to get the full amount up to the policy limit and then get punitive damages in addition. I understand that is a rare accomplishment. I am grateful for that and I congratulate him. Your firm was recommended to me by a friend and I will pay it forward by recommending him as well as PRA.

ML

I used Mr. (SQ) Lee for a personal injury matter and could not have been any more pleased with his services. He understood my injury and helped me every step of the way. He was courteous and kind and I always felt better after speaking with him. His assistant, Sherrill, was also wonderful and together they made a great team! I would absolutely recommend them, and the firm, to anyone.

BF

Common Causes of Collisions with Motorcycles in New Jersey

Some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents in New Jersey include:

Failure to share the road with motorcyclists

Many motorcycle accidents result from other motorists who fail to take the necessary precautions to notice motorcyclists and avoid collisions with them.

Distracted driving

Drivers today are often distracted by text messages, phone calls, music, GPS systems, food, talkative passengers, and more. Anything that takes a driver’s eyes, hands, or mind off the road, even for a moment, can result in a collision with a motorcycle.

Failure to check blind spots

Because of their size, motorcycles can entirely disappear in a vehicle’s blind spot. Drivers who fail to check their blind spots risk colliding with motorcycles they’re unaware of.

Speeding

Speeding increases the risk of a collision. A speeding driver has less time and space to respond to changing traffic conditions.

Driving under the influence

Drivers under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or certain medications are less able to control their vehicles and respond to traffic conditions, significantly increasing the risk of an accident.

Poor visibility

Drivers who collide with motorcycles often report that they did not see them at all. That is why it is vital for motorcyclists to increase their visibility, especially at night or in inclement weather. That includes wearing bright or reflective clothing, using headlights and turn signals, and maintaining a safe distance from other cars. It is also critical for other drivers to make an effort to look for motorcycles and respond appropriately.

Poor road conditions

Dangerous conditions like construction zones, deep potholes, road debris, heavy traffic, and malfunctioning or missing road signs or signals increase the risk of an accident. Because of their small size and the limited number of wheels, motorcycles are particularly vulnerable to road defects.

Maintenance issues or malfunctions

Both cars and motorcycles can experience part malfunctions or failures that result in accidents. Sometimes the malfunctions result from poor, inadequate, or missed maintenance. In other instances, it could be due to a defective product.

Our Victories

$200+ Million

Recovered for Clients

33

Personal Injury Practice Areas

29

Attorney Average Years in Practice

With former insurance defense attorneys on our team, we have the experience and insight into how insurance companies pay as little as possible in claims. We use that experience to level the playing field. 

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Injuries Bikers Often Suffer in Crashes and Potential Compensation

motorcycle accident with helmet on road

Motorcycle accidents can cause serious injuries, including:

  • Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
  • Head, neck, and back injuries, including whiplash and paralysis
  • Amputated limbs
  • Organ damage
  • Facial injuries, including disfigurement and fractures
  • Road rash
  • Internal injuries and bleeding
  • Lacerations and contusions
  • Broken bones
  • Torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons
  • Burns
  • Hearing or vision loss

Severe injuries often lead to significant expenses, including hospital bills, lost wages, rehabilitation, and at-home care. Our motorcycle accident attorneys can help you pursue compensation from the at-fault party. Also known as damages, this compensation can be subdivided into two broad types:

  • Economic damages – Economic damages cover monetary losses you might find on a bill or statement. These include hospital bills, ongoing medical treatment such as physical therapy or rehabilitation services, medical devices, lost wages, and loss of future earning potential due to your injuries.
  • Non-economic damages – Non-economic damages are harder to place a dollar-and-cents value on but still represent meaningful burdens. They may include pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of consortium if your accident affects your relationships, and loss of enjoyment of life if you cannot return to the same activities you enjoyed before the accident.

Determining Responsibility for a New Jersey Motorcycle Crash

motorcycle after an accident

Before receiving compensation from the person who caused a motorcycle accident, you must first establish that they are liable for your injuries. That involves establishing they violated the rules of the road or otherwise acted negligently, doing so led to the accident, and you were injured in the accident and suffered losses as a result.

If you are injured, you can help strengthen your case by:

  • Seeking medical attention – Getting prompt medical attention is essential for your health and prognosis. It also helps to establish the nature and severity of your injuries and to associate them with the motorcycle accident.
  • Summoning the police – A police officer can respond to the accident, secure the scene, and conduct an initial investigation of the crash. The officer can also assist with obtaining the driver’s identification and insurance information. In some cases, the police officer may cite the at-fault driver for a traffic violation.
  • Collecting evidence – Try to collect as much evidence as possible at the accident scene. If possible, use your phone to photograph the scene, the vehicles involved, the general road and weather conditions, and any visible injuries you suffered.
  • Recording your account – As soon as possible after the accident, you should write down or make an audio recording of your account, including what happened right before, during, and after the incident. It is essential to do so while the event is fresh in your memory.

Your lawyer can further build your case by:

  • Requesting the accident report – The police officer responding to the scene of an accident will complete an accident report. You or your lawyer can request this report for use in your case. It contains important information about the vehicles and individuals involved, injuries, road conditions, and other factors that may have played a role in the accident.
  • Consulting experts – Accident reconstruction experts can help establish the likely chain of events leading up to the accident, while medical experts can speak to the extent of your injuries and their likely effects on your life and well-being.
  • Talking to eyewitnesses – Your attorney can obtain statements from people who saw the accident and can attest to the other driver’s role in triggering the crash.

New Jersey Laws on Sharing the Road with Motorcyclists

man riding a motorcycle

New Jersey has laws meant to keep the roadways safe for all drivers, including motorcyclists. State laws regarding motorcycles include:

  • Motorcyclists must have a special license or endorsement on their driver’s license to operate a motorcycle on New Jersey roadways.
  • Motorcyclists must wear protective gear, including a helmet approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation and eye and face protection that meets state guidelines unless the motorcycle has a windshield.
  • Motorcycles must have specific components, such as at least one working headlight and at least one rear-view mirror. All motorcycles driven on New Jersey roadways must comply with the Federal Motor Safety Standards established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
  • All drivers, including motorcyclists, must have insurance that meets certain minimum coverage requirements.

Fighting Unfair Bias Against Bikers in Motorcycle Crash Cases

Unfortunately, motorcyclists face unfair bias when pursuing compensation for an accident that was someone else’s fault. Too many people hold inaccurate negative stereotypes of motorcyclists. They assume motorcyclists are reckless and, therefore, that accidents are likely their fault.

Insurance companies are aware of these anti-motorcyclist stereotypes and try to use them to their advantage. Many insurance adjusters and attorneys for insurance companies use society’s prejudice against bikers to shift the blame to the motorcyclist victim in an attempt to avoid the insurance company having to pay just compensation.

The attorneys at Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman fight hard to overcome these unwarranted biases by working hard to gather evidence of the other driver’s responsibility for the accident.

Statute of Limitations on Motorcycle Accident Claims in New Jersey

motorbiker with leather jacker on the road

The statute of limitations to file a personal injury lawsuit in New Jersey is generally two years from the date of the accident. If you file a lawsuit after the deadline, the court will likely dismiss it as untimely.

That means you have two years after an accident to hire an attorney, collect evidence, decide on a legal strategy, attempt to settle with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, draft the proper legal documents, and file your lawsuit with the appropriate court. That’s a lot to accomplish in a mere two years, so do not delay contacting a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible.

Get Help from Our New Jersey Motorcycle Injury Lawyers Today

If you were injured in a motorcycle accident in New Jersey that was not your fault, the seasoned attorneys at Pellettieri Rabstein & Altman want to help you pursue compensation from the at-fault driver and their insurer. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about what we can do for you.

1-800-432-LAWS

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